Mauritius: an Indian ocean paradise with more than meets the eye.

I first visited Mauritius a few years back when I hosted a British Airways Holidays press trip with Tom Parker Bowles. I remember then the white sand, the aqua blue warm water of the Indian Ocean and the luxurious hotels. In those days being more into trekking and adventure travel, it was by far the most upmarket place I had ever been, and I really quite liked it.

Fast forward to 2022, and a time when the family were seriously craving the far flung and exotic, and it felt like the right time to return. It is technically winter in Mauritius in July, but the temperature never really dropped during the day below 24C. An extra layer in the evening was needed, and after a heatwave in the UK that made it impossible to sleep, I welcomed this contrast.

I chose to stay on the west coast, as the winds are lighter, and it is better for snorkelling than other areas of the island at this time of year. The colonial style Sugar Beach hotel was a great choice as even though being one of the bigger resorts and they claimed 95% full, it never felt that busy other than at peak mealtimes. The sun loungers on the beach and at the pool were plentiful, and the complimentary water sports offered at the sister hotel Le Pirogue, a great bonus. My husband Ben who was a keen sailor in his youth had hours of fun on the catamaran, which he claimed was one of the highlights of his holiday.

It was very tempting to wile away the days by the pool or at the beach in this tropical paradise, but my Lonely Planet guide indicated that it was well worth venturing out. Being at most an hour’s drive in any direction to the key sights and the fact that they drive on left, meant that hiring a car was a no-brainer.

We started with the Black River Gorges National Park, a mountainous rainforest with 50km of magnificent hiking trails. This makes up roughly 5% of the island and is all that is left of the indigenous forests and native species. The trails are well marked, and you can make a detour to the Ganga Talao (also known as Grand Bassin), the most sacred Hindu site on the island and a place of pilgrimage. Another ‘must do’ hike is Le Morne Brabant, with a summit of 556m and stunning views of the coral reef along the coast. If you have ever seen the famous shot of the underground waterfall, this is the mountain that overlooks it. The last part of the hike is a little treacherous and a guide is recommended, and if you can make it to the top, the views are absolutely spectacular.

Our hotel was near the town of Flic en Flac, and our search for local food was rewarded by the Roti Aka Vinoda, a pop-up shack offering roti’s filled with veg or fish for as little as 20 rupees each (40p). This became a regular haunt for us at lunchtimes, with the only downside being the queues of locals and tourists who were also in on the secret.

It wouldn’t be a holiday to Mauritius without a boat trip and we splashed out on a speed boat on the west side starting in Flic en Flac, where we were very privileged to have the chance to swim with wild dolphins. Seeing the kids joy and excitement at being able to do something so special was a real treat. My son even managed to capture it all on the gopro. If diving is your thing, it is world class here and being surrounded by coral reef, the snorkelling great too.

Mark Twain once wrote that “Mauritius was made first, and then heaven; and heaven was copied after Mauritius.” This really was two weeks of paradise and beyond the stunning beaches and luxury hotels, there is so much more to experience without having to venture every far at all.

For more information on holidays in Mauritius and the Indian Ocean, please get in touch.